Schoolboy Sailors - WWI

[YoUDeeMan]

Young, dumb kids lie about their age to become cadets in order to go to war to die.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31712158" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"...Their routine was turned upside down on 1 August 1914 when 434 cadets of the Dartmouth cadets aged between 14 and 16 were ordered to mobilise and join the Royal Navy's reserve fleet.

One of the cadets Wolston Weld-Forester, who survived the war, later wrote that on hearing the news they all rushed towards the main college building, joyous at the thought of the adventures that lay ahead.

"Already an excited crowd was surging through the grounds - some with mouths still full from the canteen, others clutching cricket pads and bats and yet others but half- dressed, with hair still dripping from the swimming baths..."

In his final letter home just days before his death, Ronnie wrote: "I am as well and happy as a fiddle - there is absolutely nothing to be anxious about - just you think of afterwards."

In foggy conditions and under cover of darkness on the night of 12-13 May 1915, the Turkish torpedo boat Muavenet-i Milliye managed to sneak through the narrows and opened fire, hitting HMS Goliath with three torpedoes.

Wolston described the ship heeling over to about 20 degrees, before holding steady for a few seconds.
"In the momentary lull the voice of one of our officers rang out steady and clear as at 'divisions' : 'Keep calm, men. Be British!'"

The ship then started to heel rapidly again. Wolston jumped overboard.

"Just before I struck the water my face hit the side of the ship. It was a horrid feeling sliding on my face down the slimy side, and a second later I splashed in with tremendous force, having dived about 30ft.

"Just as I was rising to the surface again a heavy body came down on top of me. I fought clear and rose rather breathless and bruised. I swam about 50 yards away to get clear of the suction when the ship went down. Then, turning round and treading water I watched her last moments."

There were just three-and-a-half minutes between the torpedoes striking and Goliath sinking.
Wolston was one of the lucky ones. He was in the sea for a considerable time before rescuers found him, just as he was beginning to lose consciousness through cold and exhaustion.

There were 570 others who were not so fortunate."


Old folks, those leaders who usually start wars, should be made to go to war first.

[Pwns]

Wilson lied, kids died.

[Grizalltheway]

Wilson lied, kids died.

Uh, the story is about British sailors at Gallipoli-2 years before the US entered the war.

[Ivytalk]

More like Churchill lied, kids died. Gallipoli set his political career back 15 years.

[CID1990]

Navies, particularly before the turn of the 20th century, had minors in service. In the Royal Navy, midshipmen could begin their service before they were 10. The US Navy and the Confederate Navy also employed boys as powder monkeys during the Civil War.

Some of us may find it grotesque and offensive to our soft sensibilities but it was not viewed in the same way that some view it now.

[houndawg]

Young, dumb kids lie about their age to become cadets in order to go to war to die.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31712158" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"...Their routine was turned upside down on 1 August 1914 when 434 cadets of the Dartmouth cadets aged between 14 and 16 were ordered to mobilise and join the Royal Navy's reserve fleet.

One of the cadets Wolston Weld-Forester, who survived the war, later wrote that on hearing the news they all rushed towards the main college building, joyous at the thought of the adventures that lay ahead.

"Already an excited crowd was surging through the grounds - some with mouths still full from the canteen, others clutching cricket pads and bats and yet others but half- dressed, with hair still dripping from the swimming baths..."

In his final letter home just days before his death, Ronnie wrote: "I am as well and happy as a fiddle - there is absolutely nothing to be anxious about - just you think of afterwards."

In foggy conditions and under cover of darkness on the night of 12-13 May 1915, the Turkish torpedo boat Muavenet-i Milliye managed to sneak through the narrows and opened fire, hitting HMS Goliath with three torpedoes.

Wolston described the ship heeling over to about 20 degrees, before holding steady for a few seconds.
"In the momentary lull the voice of one of our officers rang out steady and clear as at 'divisions' : 'Keep calm, men. Be British!'"

The ship then started to heel rapidly again. Wolston jumped overboard.

"Just before I struck the water my face hit the side of the ship. It was a horrid feeling sliding on my face down the slimy side, and a second later I splashed in with tremendous force, having dived about 30ft.

"Just as I was rising to the surface again a heavy body came down on top of me. I fought clear and rose rather breathless and bruised. I swam about 50 yards away to get clear of the suction when the ship went down. Then, turning round and treading water I watched her last moments."

There were just three-and-a-half minutes between the torpedoes striking and Goliath sinking.
Wolston was one of the lucky ones. He was in the sea for a considerable time before rescuers found him, just as he was beginning to lose consciousness through cold and exhaustion.

There were 570 others who were not so fortunate."


Old folks, those leaders who usually start wars, should be made to go to war first.

Kind of defeats the purpose if the folks making the profit can't be around to cash in.

[andy7171]

Electricity and home entertainment didn't exist back then. I'd want to get out of the house and adventure too.

[YoUDeeMan]

Navies, particularly before the turn of the 20th century, had minors in service. In the Royal Navy, midshipmen could begin their service before they were 10. The US Navy and the Confederate Navy also employed boys as powder monkeys during the Civil War.

Some of us may find it grotesque and offensive to our soft sensibilities but it was not viewed in the same way that some view it now.

Well, Obama doesn't care how old the people that are getting killed are...at least on the bad guy's side. He'll lob a cruise missile in and declare everyone that died a combatant. But, let some punk azz little kid with a gun get killed in America and all heII breaks loose.

However, my point about the young people getting killed is as it always should have been, and should be...let the clowns who declare war actually do the fighting first.

[Ibanez]

Wilson lied, kids died.

Uh, the story is about British sailors at Gallipoli-2 years before the US entered the war.

You missed the joke.

[AZGrizFan]

Electricity and home entertainment didn't exist back then. I'd want to get out of the house and adventure too.

....a hot cot and 3 squares a day sounded pretty good to most kids.

[Grizalltheway]

Uh, the story is about British sailors at Gallipoli-2 years before the US entered the war.

You missed the joke.

No, I didn't.

[Ibanez]

You missed the joke.

No, I didn't.

I'm sure PWNS was just making a joke. He's a smart man.



As least I hope so.

[Ibanez]

Electricity and home entertainment didn't exist back then. I'd want to get out of the house and adventure too.

....a hot cot and 3 squares a day sounded pretty good to most kids.

It was often times 2 meals more than they were used to eating a day.

[Pwns]

Uh, the story is about British sailors at Gallipoli-2 years before the US entered the war.

You missed the joke.

Honestly haven't read the article yet. Just assumed it was about 'Murica. Mea Culpa.
I've really been falling on my face a lot here lately.

It's kind of funny this article comes up now because I've read somewhere recently that enlisting was very attractive because a lot of the perks (like meals and tobacco and such) beat what you could get day-to-day in civilian life. I'm sure some US men were able to lie their way into service as well.

[Ibanez]

You missed the joke.

Honestly haven't read the article yet. Just assumed it was about 'Murica. Mea Culpa.
I've really been falling on my face a lot here lately.

It's kind of funny this article comes up now because I've read somewhere recently that enlisting was very attractive because a lot of the perks (like meals and tobacco and such) beat what you could get day-to-day. I'm sure some US men were able to lie their way into service as well.

And I defended you.


Btw, you didn't need to read the article. The first paragraph posted makes it obvious that it isn't about the US of A.

[Ibanez]

WTAG, i'll have a side of crow with my dinner tonight.

[Grizalltheway]

No, I didn't.

I'm sure PWNS was just making a joke. He's a smart man.



As least I hope so.

And it might have actually been funny if he had said Churchill. I guess that's why we need Harvard men around.

[andy7171]

....a hot cot and 3 squares a day sounded pretty good to most kids.

It was often times 2 meals more than they were used to eating a day.

This thread is much better off now that you shared that with us.

[kalm]

Who's dumber…Andy or Ibanez?

[Grizalltheway]

You missed the joke.

Honestly haven't read the article yet. Just assumed it was about 'Murica. Mea Culpa.
I've really been falling on my face a lot here lately.

It's kind of funny this article comes up now because I've read somewhere recently that enlisting was very attractive because a lot of the perks (like meals and tobacco and such) beat what you could get day-to-day in civilian life. I'm sure some US men were able to lie their way into service as well.

My grandpa had his mom sign him up for the Army Air Corps when he was 16 or 17. Got him the hell out of West Virginia and into a bombardier's seat over SE Asia.

[Ivytalk]

Who's dumber…Andy or Ibanez?

[Ibanez]

Who's dumber…Andy or Ibanez?

Andy. Hands down.

[Ibanez]

It was often times 2 meals more than they were used to eating a day.

This thread is much better off now that you shared that with us.

Where's that anchor?

[Ibanez]

Honestly haven't read the article yet. Just assumed it was about 'Murica. Mea Culpa.
I've really been falling on my face a lot here lately.

It's kind of funny this article comes up now because I've read somewhere recently that enlisting was very attractive because a lot of the perks (like meals and tobacco and such) beat what you could get day-to-day in civilian life. I'm sure some US men were able to lie their way into service as well.

My grandpa had his mom sign him up for the Army Air Corps when he was 16 or 17. Got him the hell out of West Virginia and into a bombardier's seat over SE Asia.

Same with my grandfather getting into the Navy at 16.

[AZGrizFan]

Who's dumber…Andy or Ibanez?

Rhetorical, no?